Butterfly Cupcakes

These butterfly cupcakes are incredibly impressive...and believe it or not...pretty easy to make!

The chocolate butterflies that sit on top of these cupcakes are actually made just by piping melted chocolate onto wax paper and refrigerating until they harden. That's all there is to it!

Use the butterflies to decorate these cupcakes, or if you'd rather have a butterfly birthday cake, use them as butterfly cake toppers!

They would be perfect to serve at a bug birthday party, or to make for a little girl who loves butterflies.

How to Make Chocolate Butterflies

Step 1:	Draw a template of a butterfly wing on white paper. Using a non-toxic marker, trace the wings onto wax paper, making butterfly shapes on the paper.
Step 2:	Combine one cup of orange candy melts and one tablespoon of vegetable shortening in a bowl. Follow the directions on the candy melt bag for melting the chocolate. TIP: If you are unable to find orange candy melts, buy white melts and use orange food coloring paste to tint the chocolate.
Step 3:		Using a cake decorating bag and tip, pipe an outline of the wings with the melts, then fill in the outlines. Let set. TIP: Make one or two extra butterflies, just in case any break during the transfer process later.
Step 4:		Melt one cup of the chocolate candy melts with one tablespoon of shortening, and melt as described above. Pipe outlines and veins on the orange wings. Carefully transfer the wax paper and butterflies to a cookie sheet; refrigerate until wings are completely set (about 5-10 minutes).
Step 5:
Cover a second cookie sheet with wax paper. Pipe a one-inch mound of melted chocolate on paper. Press two wings into the chocolate at a 45-degree angle, and prop them up with upside down custard cups. Pipe a thick line of chocolate between the wings to make the body, making sure to use enough to "glue" the wings together. Repeat for each butterfly. Refrigerate until set.
Step 6:		Tint buttercream frosting green, and generously frost your cupcakes.
Step 7:		Carefully remove butterflies from paper and press into the frosting on each cupcake. If they seem too heavy to stand up, use toothpicks as support under each wing. Voila! You've made some ADORABLE butterfly cupcakes!